By Saurav Mehra MTV Hustle is an Indian rap and hip-hop reality television show that gives emerging rappers a national platform to perform original music, compete in lyrical and performance challenges and build their identity in front of established artists. The programme airs on MTV India and has become one of the best-known television platforms connected with India’s growing hip-hop scene.
MTV Hustle premiered on 10 August 2019 with a three-judge panel and a conventional competition format. From Season 2, the programme introduced a squad-based structure in which contestants perform under squad bosses while a main judge oversees the competition. As of 28 August 2026 five seasons have premiered. The first four seasons have produced official winners, while Season 5, titled Hustle 5: Apna Homeground is currently in progress.
MTV Hustle Winners List of All Seasons
| Season | Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Host |
| Season 1 | 2019 | M-Zee Bella | EPR | Gaelyn Mendonca |
| Season 2 | 2022 | MC Square | Paradox | Krissann Barretto |
| Season 3 | 2023 | Uday | Bassick | Wicked Sunny & Super Mannik |
| Season 4 | 2024 | Lashcurry | Naam Sujal | MC Talha & MC Jizzy |
| Season 5 | 2026 | To Be Announced | To Be Announced | Samarth Jurel |
MTV Hustle Season 1 Winner – M-Zee Bella
The first season of MTV Hustle premiered on 10 August 2019. Gaelyn Mendonca hosted the season, while Raftaar, Nucleya and Raja Kumari formed the judging panel.
Season 1 featured 15 contestants in its main competition. Unlike the later squad-based editions, the inaugural season followed a more direct judging format in which rappers were evaluated across weekly performances and eliminations.
Deepak Singh, performing under the stage name M-Zee Bella, emerged as the first MTV Hustle winner. Santhanam Srinivasan Iyer, popularly known as EPR, finished as the runner-up. RCR, King and Shloka were also among the leading finalists.
The grand finale was held on 13 October 2019. M-Zee Bella’s victory made him the first champion in the history of the franchise and established the winner’s position that later seasons continued through public voting and competitive final rounds.
MTV Hustle Season 2 Winner – MC Square
MTV Hustle Season 2 premiered on 3 September 2022, ending a gap of almost three years after the first season. Krissann Barretto hosted the edition, and Badshah became the main judge.
The second season brought a major change to the competition by introducing four squads. Dino James, Dee MC, EPR and King served as squad bosses. Contestants were assigned to the squads and competed through performances, battles, weekly scoring and eliminations.
Abhishek Bainsla, better known by his stage name MC Square, won MTV Hustle Season 2. Tanishq Singh, who performed as Paradox, finished as the runner-up, while Nazz secured third place. MC Square represented EPR Rebels, which also became the winning squad of the season.
The finale took place on 6 November 2022. The season helped define the modern MTV Hustle format, with the combination of a main judge, squad bosses, weekly team competition and audience voting becoming central to the programme.
MTV Hustle Season 3 Winner – Uday
MTV Hustle Season 3 premiered on 21 October 2023. Badshah returned as the main judge, while EPR, Dino James and Dee MC continued as squad bosses. Ikka Singh joined the mentoring panel as a new squad boss.
Wicked Sunny and Super Mannik, both contestants from Season 2, hosted the third edition. The competition again used squads, performance scores, battle rounds and public voting to narrow the field toward the finale.
Uday Pandhi, performing as Uday, emerged as the winner of MTV Hustle Season 3. Shlok Verma, known as Bassick, finished as the runner-up, while 100 RBH placed third. Uday competed as part of Dee MC Dynamites, which was the winning squad.
The grand finale was held on 24 December 2023. Uday’s win gave Dee MC Dynamites its first winning contestant and continued the show’s focus on original writing, technical rap ability and stage performance.
MTV Hustle Season 4 Winner – Lashcurry
The fourth season, promoted as MTV Hustle 4: Hip Hop, Don’t Stop, premiered on 19 October 2024. MC Talha and MC Jizzy hosted the season.
Raftaar returned to the judging panel after being absent from Seasons 2 and 3 and was joined by Ikka Singh. EPR, Dino James and Dee MC continued as squad bosses, while Raga joined the show as the fourth squad boss.
Vinayak Lashkari, known on the show as Lashcurry, won MTV Hustle Season 4. Sujal Dupare, performing as Naam Sujal, finished as the runner-up, with Dharmik taking third place. Lashcurry represented Raga Ragers, which became the winning squad of the season.
The finale was held on 22 December 2024. Lashcurry’s victory made him the fourth official MTV Hustle champion, following M-Zee Bella, MC Square and Uday.
MTV Hustle Season 5 – Dhadkan Wins the Title
MTV Hustle Season 5, titled Hustle 5: Apna Homeground, premiered on 8 August 2026 on MTV India and JioHotstar. Hosted by Samarth Jurel, the fifth season brought together emerging rappers from different parts of India to compete for the winner’s title.
Badshah returned as the main judge, while EPR continued as a Squad Boss. Agsy, MC Square and Paradox joined the Squad Boss lineup, mentoring contestants throughout the competition.
After weeks of rap battles, musical performances and squad challenges, the season concluded with its grand finale on 11 October 2026.
Dhadkan, whose real name is Daksh Pendharker, emerged as the winner of MTV Hustle Season 5, taking home the trophy and a cash prize of ₹1 crore. Representing Paradox’s squad, Para Troopers, Dhadkan impressed the judges and audience with his lyrical skills and distinctive rap style.
MTV Hustle Hosts Over the Years
MTV Hustle has used different hosts across its seasons, and the presentation style has changed along with the competition format.
- Gaelyn Mendonca – Season 1
- Krissann Barretto – Season 2
- Wicked Sunny and Super Mannik – Season 3
- MC Talha and MC Jizzy – Season 4
- Samarth Jurel – Season 5
The judging setup has also changed over time. Season 1 used Raftaar, Nucleya and Raja Kumari as the main judging panel. Badshah led Seasons 2 and 3, Raftaar and Ikka judged Season 4, and Badshah returned for Season 5. From Season 2 onward, squad bosses have played a major role in mentoring contestants and shaping the competition.
MTV Hustle Format
MTV Hustle is built around original rap performances and competitive hip-hop challenges. Contestants perform their own material and are judged on areas such as writing, flow, delivery, musicality, stage presence and the overall impact of a performance.
The first season followed a more traditional competition structure with a panel of judges. From Season 2, the programme adopted a squad system. Rappers are placed under squad bosses who mentor them, select strategies for battles and compete to keep their squads strong through the season.
Weekly episodes can include individual performances, themed challenges, squad battles and elimination rounds. Scores and judges’ decisions influence the competition, while public voting has also been used in important stages, particularly as the show moves toward its finalists and winner.
The format has allowed established rappers and former contestants to return in new roles. EPR progressed from Season 1 runner-up to squad boss, while MC Square and Paradox later returned as squad bosses in Season 5 after becoming the Season 2 winner and runner-up respectively.
Final Words
MTV Hustle has produced four official winners so far: M-Zee Bella, MC Square, Uday and Lashcurry. Each season has introduced new rappers while also expanding the role of judges, squad bosses and former contestants in the competition.